Gun perforator



Aug. 22, l9 E. F. RAYMOND GUN PERFORA'IOR Filed June 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Aug., 22, i944. E. F. RAYMOND GUN PERFORATOR INVENTORA MWMD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www@ Filed June 2l, 1945 atented 22, l@

ETF TT Clai.

This invention has to do generally with imn provements in Well-pipe gun perforators of the characteristically novel type constituting the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 440,319 led April 24, 1942, on Gun perforation in wells.

The kind of gun perforator contemplated by the present invention, and in my co-pending application, may be described generally as a dropin type, comprising .a body yor gun unit assembly adapted to be dropped or lowered in the well along or about a cable run into the well in advance of the perforator proper. In its preferred form, the perforator comprises a body containing a plurality of gun units, and placed or assembled about the cable in a manner permitting the perforator to be dropped along the cable to a predetermined ring depth in the well. Further in accordance with its preferred form, the invention contemplates means whereby the gun units are caused to nre automatically when the perforator reaches that predetermined depth, as by providing on the cable an abutment engageable by a iii-lng mechanism in the perforator body, to discharge the gun units and thereby perforate the section of the Well pipe directly above the cable-carried abutment. l

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved gun ring mechanism in which the individual gun units are discharged by the action of spring-loaded firing elements, controlled in their firing action as a result of the co-action between other parts of the ring mechanism and the abutment. The invention contemplates normally maintaining the firing elements in what may be regarded as their retracted positions, and their springs in a condition of compression. Upon engagement with the abutment, the control mechanism is actuated to release the flringelements for projection by the spring against the cartridges.

Another object and feature of thevinvention is the provision of a firing control mechanism operable to cause sequentialv discharge of the gun units, as distinguished from simultaneous discharge thereof as specically shown in the copending application referred to above.

The present gun perforator has various additional features of distinct and novel structural details, but all these, as well as the objects mentioned in the foregoing. will be understood to better advantage by reference to the typical embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe perforator applied to the cable;

Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the perforator in gun firing engagement with the abutment Within the well pipe;

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and '7 are enlarged cross sectional views respectively on lines 3 3, @-2, 5 5, and 6--8 of Fig. 1, and on line l-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view taken in the plane of line 8--8 of Fig. 6 showing the normal relative positions of the gun firing elements, and the A iiring control member;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the ring position of the parts; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 illustrating a variational form of the invention by which the gun units are fired sequentially. A As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the perforator comprises an elongated body, generally indicated at I0, which includes a pair of longitudinal sections II and I2 interengaged at shoulders I3, It, and I5, and held in the assembled condition illustrated by a split sleeve I6. The sleeve is longitudinally split or slotted to provide shoulders II for engagement with complementary shoulders on the body section I2, the outer diameter of which within the slotted area of the sleeve, corresponds to the sleeve diameter, all as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The upper end of the body contains between the sections II and I2, an axial bore I8 which receives the cable I9, Below bore I8 the cable is deflected between rollers 20 and 2| into a channel 22 formed within the outer intermediate suri'ace of body section I I in offset relation to the body axis. Rollers 2l! and 2I are contained within body section Il, see Fig. 4, and are Journaled on pins 23 terminating in section I2, and capable of insertion or withdrawal in the course of assembling or disassembling the body sections about the cable. At the lower end of channel 22, the cable I9 is deflected between rollers 24 and 25 (similar in form and mounting to rollers 20 and 2| into opening 26 in the lower end of body section I/I, from which the cable leaves the body in axial alinement therewith.

Free falling of the body assembly within the body have interengaging mutilated or substantially 90 threads 33 to permit quick application and disconnection of the sleeve nut.

Formed intgerally with the body section Il is a pair of projections or bolts 34, see Fig. 5, received within openings 35 in the body section I2, nuts 35 being threaded on the outer ends oi' the bolts 34 to` securely interlock the body sections. As best illustrated in Figs.- 6 and '7, the body contains a series of gun units, generally indicated at 31, of which there may be any suitable number, three being shown merely for purposes of illustration. Each gun unit comprises a barrel 38 threaded from the inside into a horizontal counterbore 38 in body section I2 to the point of engagement with shoulders 40 and 4I. The barrel' 38 contains a cartridge 42 which is retained therein by a bushing or plug 43 containing a firing pin 44. The firing pin normally may be maintained in retracted position by a small coil spring 45, fromwhich the pin may be projected within bore 45 into firing engagement with the cartridge, see Fig. 7.

'I'he individual gun units are discharged by normally retracted, spring-loaded firing elements 41 contained within bores 48 in the body section I I. Each firing element 45 has a flanged head 49 carrying diametrically opposed lugs 50 which normally are received within correspondingly shaped recesses I in section II at the mouth of the bore 48. Beyond the flange 43, the firing element carries a central projection 52l engageable with the head of the ring pin 44, as will presently appear.

Normally the firing element 41 is maintained in the retracted position of Fig. 6, and against the outward thrust of coil spring 53, by the engagement of lugs 50 with an elongated firing control member 54 which is received within a longitudinal slot 55, space 56 and slot 51, formed in body section II. As best illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the ring control member 54 comprises an upper portion 54a having a central longitudinal slot 58, an intermediate offset portion 54h received within space 55, and a bottom rod portion 54c extendingtthrough slot 51 (which may be a circular opening instead), below the lower end of the body in the position of Fig. 1.

Referring still to Figs. 8 and 9, engagement of the firing element lugs 50 with the surfaces of member 54 at opposite sides of its slot 58, normally restrains the elements 41 against projection by the coil springs 48 toward the ring pins 44. Release of the firing elements occurs by upward displacement of the firing control member 54 from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, in which lugs 50 are brought into registration with recesses 60 in member 54 at opposite sides of the slot 58.v represented by Figs. 8 and 9, the longitudinal spacing of the pairs of slots GII corresponds to the spacing of the gun units and firing elements 41, so that upon displacement of the firing control member 54 to the position of Fig. 9, the gun units are fired simultaneously. The invention also contemplates sequential firing of the gun units, if desired, by modification of the control member 54 as in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10. Here the control member 54| is shown to have progressively wider slots 60|, 602, and 503, the dimensions of which with relation to the spacing of the firing elements 45, are such that as member 54| is displaced upwardly from its starting position Vcorresponding to Fig. 1, the upper-most firing element 41a is released first, then In the form of theA invention.

the intermediate element 41h, and finally the lower element 41e, the gun units thus being fired sequentially in downward progression.

In operationyan abutment 82, which may be an object of any suitable size and shape, is attached to the lower end of the cable I9, and is run down into the well to the desired depth for perforation of a section of the casing .directly above the abutment. The gun perforator parts,

contained parts, the sleeves I5 and r23 and the sleeve nut 30, all are assembled about the cable as described. Until suchtlme as the perforator is to be Vdropped into the well, the firing member 54 may be locked against accidental displacement from the position of Fig. 1, by insertion of pin 33 through bore 64 of the upper bolt 34, into recess55 above the upper end of member 54, the head 55 of the pin being threaded into the bolt, as shown in Fig. 5.

^ After removal of the locking pin 53, the perforator is dropped into the casing and permitted to fall along the cable I9 to the firing depth established by the position of abutment v82. Springs 28 may be adjusted to restrain free falling or excessively rapid downward travel of the perforator. Upon engagement of its lower end portion 54c with the abutment 62, the firing control member 54 is displaced upwardly within the perforator body to the position of Fig. 2, releasing the firing elements 41 and causing the gun units to discharge either simultaneously or sequentially, according to the type of firing control employed. Thereafter the perforator may be withdrawn from the well by pulling the cable with the bottom end of the perforator engaged by the abutment 52.

I claim:

1. A gun perforator for use in wells comprising; a body movable downwardly along a cable lowered in the well in advance of the perforator; a gun unit in the body including a firing element, a spring for actuating said element in its firing travel, and means releasably maintaining said element in retracted position; and means for releasing said holding means to cause the spring to actuate said firing element.

2. A gun perforator. for use in wells comprising; a body movable downwardly along a cable lowered in the well in advance of the perforator; a gun unit in the body including va firing element, a spring for actuating said element in its ring travel, and meansV releasably maintaining said element in retracted position; and means movable vertically relative to the body to release said holding means and cause the spring to actuate said firing element.

3. A gun perforator for use in wells comprising; a body movable downwardly along a cable lowered in the well in advance of the perforator; a series of gun units in the body, each gun unit including a firing element, a spring for actuating saidelement in its ring travel, and means releasably maintaining said element in retracted position; and means for releasing said holding means to cause the springs in said units to actuate the ilring elements.

4. A gun perforator for use in wells comprising; a body movable downwardly along a cable lowered in the well in advance of the perforator; a series of gun units in the body, each gun unit including a ring element, a spring for actuating said element in its firing travel, and means releasably maintaining said element in retracted position; and means for releasing said holding including the body sections II and I2 and their` means to cause the springs in said units to actuate the firing elements in predetermined sequential order.

5. A gun perforator for use in wells comprising; a body movable downwardly along a cable` lowered in the well in advance or the perforator; a series of gun units in the body, each gun unit including a tiring element, a spring for actuating said element in its ring travel, and means releasably maintaining said element in retracted position; and a firing control member movable longitudinally of the body for releasing said holding means to cause the springs in said units to actuate the ring elements.

6. A gun perforator for use in wells, comprising a body adapted to move downwardy along a cable lowered in the well in advance of the perforator. a plurality of gun units within said body.

and coacting means carried bythe body and cable for tiring said gun units in sequential order and each unit independently oi the ring of the others.

7. A gun perforator for use in wells, comprising a body adapted to move downwardly along a cable lowered in the well in advance of the perforator, a plurality of gun units within said body, and coacting means carried by the body and cable for ring said gun units in sequential order and each unit independently oi' the ring of the others, automatically when the perforator reaches a predetermineddepth in the well.

8. The combination comprising a cable lowered in a well, and a gun perforator including a body movable downwardly along the cable. an abutment carried by the cable, a gun unit within the body and including a ring element, a spring for actuating said element in its firing travel, means releasably maintaining said element in retracted position; and means operable by engagement with said abutment for releasing said holding means to cause the spring to actuate said tiring element. 9. The combination comprising a cable lowered in a well, and a gun perforator including a body movable downwardly along the cable. an abutment carried by the cable, a series of gun units arranged longitudinally within the body, each unit including a ring element, a spring i'or actuating said element in its firing travel,

and means normally maintaining said elements l in retracted position and displaceable longitudinally within the body by engagement with said abutment to cause said springs to actuate the iiring elements.

10. The combination comprising a cable lowered in a well. and a gun perforator including a body movable downwardly along the cable. an abutment carried by the cable, a series of gun units arranged longitudinally within the body,

each unit including a ilring element, a spring for actuating said element'm its ming travel. and s single iring control means normally maintaining said elements in retracted position, said control means being displaceable upwardly within the body upon engagement with said abutment to cause said springs to sctuate the ilring elements.

- i EDWARD F. RAYMOND. 

